She said intermarriage is the norm in Sabah where many natives have Chinese sir names, amongst others.
"The unique high prevalence of intermarriages in Sabah has been the foundation of the State's strong racial unity and harmony, and this should not be destroyed," she said.
She was commenting on the statement by MACC Intelligence Division Director Datuk Hishamuddin Hashim who proposed the Sabah Government to recall and reissue all NCs in the State.
She said the authorities should instead take action on "illegal" identity card holders and solve the perennial illegal immigrant problem in the State.
"The State Government should get the National Registration Department to withdraw all identity cards (ICs) and reissue them to genuine locals only," she said.
She believed the existence of false or dubious NCs and other documents was closely linked to the "illegal" ICs and this should be rectified. "Fake or forged identity and other documents issued through illegal means would deprive genuine beneficiaries and true Sabahans of their benefits and wellbeing.
"Worse still if these illegal immigrants also hold indigenous certificates as they can easily abuse the documents to enjoy native land ownership, Bumiputera rights and trust funds, special discount for housing and other benefits meant only for Sabah natives!," she said in a statement.
Chia said the long-standing problems posed by illegal immigrants in Sabah have changed its demographic distribution and structures, and presented security issues and problems for the State.
"Rather than zooming in on the Sabah Native Certificates, the State Government should also solve the 'illegal' IC problem by issuing new identity cards to genuine Malaysians in Sabah.
"SAPP had, in its election manifesto in 2013, proposed the issuance of Sabah IC to genuine citizens.
This can help filter out dubious citizens and reinstate the rights and benefits of all legitimate Sabahans.
"Hence, all dubious Malaysian identity card holders can be done in the same process while those with genuine Bumiputera status can be determined and confirmed. All these can be done within the power of the State Government."
Chia, who is former Luyang Assemblywoman, also urged Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Joseph Pairin Kitingan, who heads the technical committee of the RCI on illegal immigrants, to seriously consider the implementation of Sabah IC as it is feasible to help solve the many problems of false documentation in Sabah and at the same time help to flush out the dubious citizens.
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